Jim Hall

Don’t rush for those Blue Suede Shoes just yet, the Carl Perkins sitting in with Jim Hall on our first of his featured albums “Jazz Guitar” is the piano playing Perkins. Alliteratively speaking! Born in New York in 1930 this first album for Jim Hall as leader, also features Red Mitchell on bass. “Folk Jazz” under the leadership of Bill Smith, finds Jim alongside clarinettist Bill Smith with Monty Budwig on bass and the legendary Shelly Manne behind the drums. The album is somewhat of a reflection of the traditional folk background of Bill Smith. “Good Friday Blues” introduces us to the “Modest Jazz Trio”. Jim Hall on guitar of course, Red Mitchell on piano and Red Kelly on bass on a date from 1960.you could almost call it the Reds meet the Blues! All three albums have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest ever sound quality.

This recorded, intimate document was recorded at Jazz Beat during the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1990 and sees its first official release on this Impulse! volume. Bassist Charlie Haden and guitarist Jim Hall played a number of duet concerts together over the years, but this was certainly among the very earliest. Given their respective careers up to this point, both men had nearly perfected the artistry of playing in this particular chamber jazz setting. That all said, it does not prepare the listener for the canny, intimate, yet absolutely electric interplay on offer here. From readings of standards such as "Bemsha Swing," "Body and Soul," and Skylark" through to Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround" and excellent originals by both men - including Haden's bookends, the tenderly dissonant "First Song" and the knotty "In the Moment," and Hall's sprightly melodic Latin waltz "Down from Antigua"…

The premise of this Atlantic set is a bit unusual. The Art Farmer Quartet (consisting of flügelhornist Farmer, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Steve Swallow, and drummer Pete LaRoca), which was together from 1962-1964 (after the demise of the Jazztet), was passing through Stockholm, Sweden at the time of this date and the musicians felt inspired to record a full album of traditional Swedish folk songs. Respect is paid to the often haunting melodies, and Farmer sounds quite at home in this context, sometimes hinting a bit at Chet Baker. Fortunately, not all of the tunes are taken at a ballad pace, and once the themes are fully stated, Farmer and Hall have plenty of harmonically sophisticated solos. The band's cool and restrained style suits the music perfectly, turning it into jazz without losing its essence. Although a brief set (at under 33 minutes), every note counts on this successful outing.

One of a pair of recordings made during a tour of Japan for Paddlewheel (a subsidiary of King), the Jim Hall Trio, with bassist Don Thompson and drummer Terry Clarke, is in top form during this 1976 concert. The opener, Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce," is an introspective interpretation, though played with plenty of fire, while "Twister," a duo performance credited to both Hall and Clarke, may very well be an improvisation. A quiet piece like the excerpt from Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjeuz" is tailor-made for Hall's often subtle, rather understated approach to his instrument. First-rate versions of "Chelsea Bridge" and "St. Thomas" round out this highly recommended live set.

Released for the first time on this 1999 Challenge CD, this live set features the unusual duo of guitarist Jim Hall and valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, two-thirds of the 1957 Jimmy Giuffre Three. Although there are occasions when one of the musicians accompanies the other one, much of the time Hall and Brookmeyer function as equals, improvising together on a set of standards plus an ad-lib blues called "Sweet Basil." Their ability to improvise while thinking of the whole picture and their knack for spontaneously harmonizing really come in handy during this intriguing and frequently exciting outing. Among the selections reborn in the playing of Hall and Brookmeyer are John Lewis' "Skating in Central Park," "Body and Soul," "Darn That Dream," and "St. Thomas." A successful effort that should not have taken 20 years to release.

Although the rhythm section was more "modern" than he usually used (keyboardist Benny Aronov, bassist Malcolm Cecil, and Airto Moreira on drums and percussion), guitarist Jim Hall (who always had a harmonically advanced style anyway) has little difficulty adapting to the fresh setting. Highlights of the well-rounded CD reissue include Hall's "Simple Samba," "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," an unaccompanied "I Should Care," and Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz".

This fine club date features guitarist Jim Hall in Toronto with two of the top Canadian jazzmen, bassist Don Thompson and drummer Terry Clarke. The interplay between the three players is sometimes wondrous, and although the five selections are all familiar standards (such as "'Round Midnight," "Scrapple From the Apple" and "The Way You Look Tonight"), Hall makes the music sound fresh and full of subtleties. This enjoyable LP has yet to be reissued on CD.